Film washing device



April 23, 1968 R. R. JOSEPH FILM WASHING DEVICE Filed July 29, 1965 INVENTOR. Rosam- RJcsam-a g ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,379,114 FILM WASHING DEVICE Robert R. Joseph, Southfield, Mich. Commercial Printing- & Imprinting C0,, 7517 Intervale Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48238) Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,655 Claims. (CI. 95-97) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A film washing tank having a cylindrical side wall with top and bottom walls threaded thereto, the top wall having a rigid inlet fitting thereon adapted for connection with a source of water under pressure such as a faucet or hose. The inlet fitting provides a rigid connection for the hose or faucet attached thereto so that the tank may be suspended in a generally vertical position from said hose or faucet when filled. The bottom wall has a plurality of small outlets therein of such a size as to cause the tank to become filled with water when water under pressure is admitted thereto through the inlet fitting.

This invention relates to film washing devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for washing roll film with water which enters at the top and drains from the bottom of the device so that any chemicals washed from the film which are heavier than water do not become concentrated at the bottom of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable .film washing device which may be coupled to a faucet or hose by a connection at the top of the device.

Still another object of the invention is to make it easy to place roll film in and remove roll film from the device, and yet keep the device closed on all sides when washing film.

A further object of the invention is to combine a swirling motion of the water with the downward flow of water through the device.

A further object of the invention is to assure that water entering the washing device is relatively free or" foreign matter.

Another object of the invention is to make provisions in a film washing device for introducing a chemical into the Water directed through the device.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a film washing device which constitutes one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the top of the film washing device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a stand on which the device may be placed.

The film washing device of this invention has a tubular body dimensioned to receive and retain a vertical stack of film rolls to be washed, a closure at the top end of the tubular body having a water inlet opening through it, and another closure at the bottom end of the tube having one or more water outlet openings through it to allow water to drain from the bottom of the device. There is a fitting at the top of th device for coupling the device to a faucet or a hose. In washing film, the device is positioned with the axis of the tubular body extending vertically. Thus, water entering the device at its top washes film rolls within the device and drains from its bottom end in such a manner that there is little or no opportunity for chemicals washed from the film to accumulate within the device. Vanes may be provided at the inlet opening to impart a swirling motion to the water as it flows downward through the device. The device may also have a filter at the inlet opening for removing foreign matter from incoming water. A dispenser may be integrated with the device for introducing into the water in the device a chemical which speeds up the washing action.

Referring to the drawings, the Washing device 10 shown in FIG. 1 has four film rolls 12, 14, 16 and 18 stacked vertically within it. Device 10 is connected at its top end to a hose 20, and the axis 11 of the device extends vertically in the washing position of the device. The body of device 10 is a tube 28, preferably made of a transparent plastic material, although metal or a combination of materials could be used. The inside diameter of tube 28 is slightly larger than the diameter of the reels 30 on which the film rolls 12, 14, 16 and 18 are wound. The individual convolutions of film roll 18 are shown by broken lines 32 in FIG. 1, and the reel has spiral shaped elements which separate the film convolutions from each other. The spiral elements of the reel are not visible in the drawing and have no relation to the invention.

A closure 34 at the bottom end of tube 28 has a plurality of openings 36 extending through it providing outlets for allowing water to drain from the bottom of device 10. It is possible to provide only one water outlet opening through the bottom closure 34, but a plurality of openings are preferred. The size and number of the water outlet openings 36 is selected such that for a normal rate of incoming flow of water the tube 28 will become substantially filled with Water, thus assuring that all surfaces of the film are washed. To assure that tube 28 initially becomes filled with water, the bottom closure may be allowed to sit on the bottom of a sink. Openings 36 are then closed sufiiciently by the sinks bottom that the tube fills with water. Once the device is filled, a stand 22 having legs 24 and an opening 26 (FIG. 4) may be placed under closure 22 to allow freer flow of water through the outlet openings 36. However it is not necessary to use a stand with the device because the pressure of conventional tap water is suificient to insure discharge through outlet openings 36 even when the device is resting on the bottom of a sink.

Another closure 40 at the top end of tube 28 has a water inlet opening 42 extending through it. Closure 40 has threads 44 which are screwed onto threaded member 46 on hose 20, thereby coupling device 10 to the hose. There are alternative ways of coupling device 10 to a source of water at the top end of the device, for example by means of a nipple and hose or by attaching the device directly to a faucet, as in FIG. 3. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, threads 44 are provided in a fitting 48 in the form of a neck which is an integral part of closure 40, but a separate fitting may be used if desired.

Fitting 48 has an internal shoulder 50 on which a filter 52 is seated and secured. Filter 52 acts to remove particles of foreign matter from the incoming water. Vanes 54 and 56 are attached to the bottom side of filter 52 and are slanted so as to impart a swirling motion to water flowing through tube 28 to improve its washing action on the film. Vanes 54 and 56 swirl the water in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2.

At least one of the closures 34 and 40 is removable from tube 28. Tube 28 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is threaded at both ends and closures 34 and 40 have threaded rims 60 and 62, respectively, which are screwed to the threads on tube 28. Rim 62 is an annular flange which has a thread 64 on it internal surface matching the thread 68 on the outer surface at the top end of tube 28. Rim 60 of closure 34 has a thread 70 which matches thread 72 on the inner surface at the bottom end of tube 28. It will be understood that either external or internal threading may be used at the top and bottom ends of tube 28, the closures being either a simple disc-like closure or a flanged closure, as illustrated, to accommodate either internal or external tube threads. Thus, both closures are removable from tube 28 in the device of FIG. 1, but it is only necessary to have one removable closure as mentioned previously. Closures 34 and 40 may be made of plastic or metal, plastic being indicated in FIG. 1.

\Affixed to the closure 40 in FIG. 1 is a container 80 of the type commonly known as a squeeze-bottle. Container 80 is inverted and has a threaded tip 84 screwed into a tapped opening 85 in closure 40. By squeezing container 80, a liquid chemical substance may be forced through an opening 82 in tip 84 into the interior of device 10. In this way, a chemical for speeding up the washing action may be introduced from container 80 into water in device 10. The chemical may be mildly alkaline. De vice is filled with water and the chemical is then introduced from container 80. As previously mentioned, the bottom closure 34 may rest on the bottom of a sink while the device is being filled, thus reducing the rate of drainage. Container 80 may be removed and hole 85 may be closed by screwing a closure plug into it.

'-An alternative structure for introducing a washaccelerating chemical into water in the device is incorporated in the modification shown in FIG. 3. Like parts in FIGS. 1 and 3 have the same reference numerals. A tubular container 90 having openings 92 through its side wall is located within device 10. The mouth of container 90 is secured by threads 94 to a fitting 96 which in turn is attached by threads 98 to neck 100 of top closure 40. Fitting 96 is secured by threads 10-2 to a faucet 104. A solid water-soluble chemical substance, preferably in the form of crystals, may be provided in container 90. Water entering the inlet of the device passes through container 90 and dissolves some of the chemical substance enroute. The treated water flows through openings 92 into device '10, washes film in the device, and drains from the bottom end of the device.

The invention provides an improved portable film Washing device so constructed as to rapidly wash rolls of reel support film with water under pressure which enters the top and drains from the bottom of the device. The device is so constructed as to be connected either with a hose or directly to a water faucet. By combining a chemical dispenser with the device it is possible to treat water within the device in order to speed up the washing action. This greatly reduces the time required to wash film.

i[ claim:

1. A film Washer comprising, a receptacle having a cylindrical side wall and top and bottom walls, said top and bottom walls being generally co-extensive in area with the cross-section of the receptacle, means detachably connecting the top wall with the upper end of the receptacle so that when removed, the receptacle is adapted to receive a film reel which occupie substantially the entire cross-section of the receptacle, said top wall having a vertically extending inlet fitting integrally connected thereto, said inlet fitting being connected with the central portion of said top wall and including means for solidly connecting the inlet fitting to a generally vertically downwardly extending faucet or hose so that the receptacle may be suspended by said inlet fitting in a generally vertical position from such hose or faucet when filled, said detachable connection means being of a type adapted to support the receptacle from the cover when filled, said bottom wall having outlet openings therein sized to cause the receptacle to become filled with water when water under pressure is admitted thereto through said inlet fitting.

2. A film washer as called for in claim 1 including a chemical dispenser mounted on said top wall exteriorly of the receptacle and having a passageway therein extending through said top wall for dispensing a chemical in said receptacle.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 including an elongate tubular chemical dispenser disposed within said receptacle and connected with said inlet fitting so that Water introduced through said inlet fitting is caused to discharge into said dispenser before discharging into said receptacle, said dispenser having openings therein for permitting the water to flow from the dispenser into the receptacle.

4. A portable film washer comprising an imperforate tube consisting of plastic material having first and second open ends and having threads at said first and second ends, a first disc having a threaded rim and having at least one water outlet opening through the same, said first disc being screwed to the threads at said first end of said tube and closing that end except for aid water outlet opening but being removable from said tube by unscrewing the same to allow reel supported film to be placed in and removed from said tube, a second disc having a threaded rim and having a water inlet opening through the same, said second disc being screwed to the threads at said second end of said tube and closing that end except for said water inlet opening, means at said water inlet opening for coupling said washer to a faucet or hose with the axis of said tube positioned vertically and said water inlet and water outlet openings at the top and bottom respectively of said tube for allowing water entering said inlet opening to flow downward through said outlet opening at the bottom of said tube.

5. The portable film washer of claim 4 further including means at said water inlet opening for imparting a swirling motion to water entering said inlet opening and flowing through said tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,906 1/1905 Shaw -90.5 2,062,704 12/1936 Forsyth 134-93 2,161,060 6/1939 Kelsey. 2,212,357 8/ 1940 Vanderwalker 95-90.5 2,286,351 6/1942 Drucker 95-97 2,344,998 3/1944 Morgan et al. 95-90.5 3,140,647 7/1964 Miller 95-97 XR NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

F. L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner. 

